Parkington Sisters Premiere New Murder Ballad “In the Pines” on American Songwriter

“…a waltzing, harmony-rich and altogether creepy recording by the Parkington Sisters.” ~ American Songwriter

Listen to “In The Pines” here!

From the lonely opening strains of violin in the new Parkington Sisters latest recording, it’s clear something is amiss. There’s a mysterious woman, a cold wind, a no good husband, a severed head.

“In the Pines”, also known as “Black Girl” and “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”, is a traditional American folk song dating back to the mid-1800s. Believed to be of Southern Appalachian origin, the song has been recorded by a wide variety of artists in the last century, including Lead Belly (who recorded several versions), Ma Rainey, Bill Monroe, The Four Pennies, Doc Watson, Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, Dee Dee Ramone, Smog, Nirvana, Mark Lanagan and even Kid Cudi (with Dot da Genius as WZRD).

“We often write pretty dark songs so naturally we were drawn to the haunting beauty of Lead Belly and Nirvana’s variations of this old folk murder ballad,” notes one of the Sisters. “We recorded our version live in a pitch black basement, adding a spooky feel to an already hair-raising song.“

It’s no wonder the Parkington Sisters are attracted to dark, sometimes desolate soundscapes. Hailing from the stark dunes of Wellfleet on the northern tip of Cape Cod, the siblings grew up surrounded by painters, pirates and poets. Art is in their blood, but music became their lifeblood, leading them from the streets of Boston to performances with artists ranging from Dispatch, Dropkick Murphys, Mavis Staples and Bruce Springsteen.

Most recently ~ last night, in fact ~ The Parkington Sisters joined the Dropkick Murphys to perform the national anthem before Game 6 of the World Series at Fenway Park, leading to the first Word Series home win for the Red Sox @ Fenway Park since 1918 (Watch the  performance here)!

The Parkington Sisters just finished recording a new album, which will be released Spring 2014. In the meantime, check out their new EP, Inside My Head…and enjoy the free MP3 of “Inside My Head” HERE!